The heart is your body's pump. It has four chambers, two on the right side and two on the left side. These chambers have the ability to beat in sequence up to 100,000 times in a day, sending oxygenated blood to your vital organs and returning the blood to be oxygenated and recirculated again, says the American Heart Association. A healthy heart rate is able to pump your blood at a rate needed to efficiently infuse your vital organs with oxygen and nutrition.
Sinus Node
The upper chambers of your heart are the right and left atria, which are holding chambers of blood and the lower chambers are the ventricles, which pump the blood to your lungs, then to the rest of your body. In the right atrium are a group of specialized cells called the sinus node, also known as the pacemaker of your heart. The sinus node automatically fires and sends electrical impulses to the chambers of your heart to beat in sequence and pump blood to your body.
Normal Sinus Rhythm
Normal sinus rhythm is the term used when your heart is beating in a regular rhythm at a rate of 60 to 100 beats per minute. Newborns are the exception, having an average heart rate up to 150 beats per minute. Toddlers and children up to 5 years old have a heart rate up to 100 beats per minute, and the average adult heart rate is approximate 60 to 80 beats per minute.
Bradycardia
Bradycardia is the term used when your heart beats fewer than 60 beats per minute. It happens when the electrical signals from the sinus node slow down or are blocked for some reason. This rate can be a potential problem, because the slow rate of blood pumping is not able to sufficiently support your vital organs. Some causes of bradycardia are the result of certain thyroid conditions, medications or a congenital heart problem. Treatment involves diagnosing and treating the underlying cause with medications. In some cases, a pacemaker is needed.
Tachycardia
Tachycardia is the term used for a heart rate higher than 100 beats per minute. This happens when the electrical impulses from the sinus node are rapidly produced. If tachycardia affects your heart's function, it can cause stroke, heart attack or death. Some causes of tachycardia are smoking, heart disease, excessive alcohol consumption and recreational drug use. Treatment requires treatment of the underlying cause and medications.
